Chicken Vegetable Barley Stew

The cold, snowy season can be tough to endure at the best of times, luckily for us, there are some fantastic and comforting meals out there to help keep the chill-out. Personally, I am a massive fan of stews and soups, and I love trying out different recipes through my experimental taste. This recipe is my go-to, so of course, I feel inclined to share it. Listed below are the ingredients I typically use, although you could take out the chicken to make it vegetarian-friendly and add in other vegetables of your choice. You could also replace the all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour to make it celiac friendly (and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free!). You can easily customize this stew to your liking.

Chicken Vegetable Barley Stew

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot
• 1 large potato
• 1 green onion
• 1 chicken breast
• 1/2 cup barley, soaked
• 2 cups of water
• 1-2 teaspoons flour
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp chicken stock
• Italian seasoning, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Instructions 

• To begin your delicious chicken vegetable barley stew, cook the chicken breast in a deep frying pan (one that can hold a fair amount of liquid) with about a cup of water, covered. While your chicken cooks, this is the best time to soak the barley and peel/chop the vegetables.
• Once the chicken can be cut into easily and is visibly cooked all the way through, transfer it to a cutting board to be diced once it is cooled.
• With the remaining liquid in the pan still, throw in your green onions and carrots, then let them simmer for a few minutes over medium heat. Add flour and combine with the frying veggies, simmer for about 2 minutes. Then, add the almond milk and stir everything together. By doing this, there should be no flour clumps floating around in your stew later on.
• Here, add the pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and chicken stock. Judge how much seasoning you want based on the taste as you go along to avoid adding too much of a specific one.
• Once the mixture has bubbled, add water, potatoes, barley, and cover. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. While you wait, chop the cooled chicken up into cubes (or shred it if that’s what you prefer), then set it aside once more.
• After said time, test the carrots and potatoes by sticking them with a fork. Once they are soft, add the chicken, stir everything together, and continue to simmer for a few more minutes. Feel free to give it a taste test and adjust the flavour however necessary.
• Once everything is soft and the stew has thickened, it is time to serve and enjoy! This recipe makes about two servings, which can be adjusted to suit the number of people in your household.

This recipe is so easy, customize-able, and has a tame enough flavour to satisfy anyone in your family – even those picky eaters. Enjoy your hug-in-a-bowl, and don’t forget to have fun in the kitchen!